The MorningRay Chronicles: Part 1
by RhaedaLeeMire
Summary: The prequel to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2. Leah is a teenage human living in the paralyzed Pokémon world. Following a tragedy from her childhood, she and her trusted partner Grovyle travel to discover the cause of the planet's paralysis and prevent it.
1. P: Grovyle's Lament

**A/N:** This is the first book in a four-part PMD Sky fanfic. Please note that I started this story two years ago, and that everything up to Chapter 3 may not accurately reflect my current writing style.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon, nor am I writing this story for profit. All nonoriginal characters and settings in this chapter belong to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and all other organizations with legal claims to the franchise. Leah belongs to me.

* * *

**THE MORNINGRAY CHRONICLES  
(TMRC) - PART 1**

~ Prologue: ~  
Grovyle's Lament

If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here now, standing in a world most Pokémon of our time never knew existed, a world they had cruelly been robbed of and never realized. I never would have seen the glory of a pastel-colored sunrise, or stepped into the heart of a forest overgrown with lush, vibrant wildflowers the size of my head, a sight that would leave even Dusknoir breathless with awe.

If it weren't for her, I would be just another wild Pokémon sentenced to life in a dead world. Soulless and bereft of purpose, my existence would revolve around survival and self-preservation. I never would have learned what love and compassion were, never would have believed that concepts such as friendship and family truly existed. I would have lived and died alone, as so many others of our time have, never knowing the good of life.

The memory of how it happened still haunts me. I'd already failed her once and nearly lost her in the process; I swore I never would again. But now…she's gone. Tears sting my eyes as I remember her, weakened and nearly unconscious, slipping from my grasp to tumble through the void to an unknown fate. Even worse is the knowledge that just before her disappearance, she had saved my life yet again…and I failed to hold on.

We had been constant companions for seven years—teaching each other, supporting each other, saving one another when need be. We made the painful decision to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good of all Pokémon, and we made it together, neither of us hesitating, both of us knowing it was what we were meant to do. Her choice was all the more astonishing because she wasn't even a Pokémon, but a human living in a Pokémon's world—a human who, by unspoken law, shouldn't have existed there. She chose to save the world that had torn so much from her, had stolen her innocence away at such a young age. She was only thirteen, with her whole life ahead of her.

Seven years are impossible to forget. I know what she would want me to do—I can almost hear her instructing me now. And I will do it, no matter what it takes. I will persevere through the pain and fulfill the promise I made—the promise _we_ made. But I will never forget, and I will never abandon the hope that somehow, we will be reunited in the midst of our journeys, for separate though they may be, they are united by a common goal.

I will always remember, always hold out hope. She was everything to me—my companion, my best friend, my little sister. My family.

Her name…was Leah.

* * *

**Last Edited:** 2/12/12


	2. 1: Old World Secrets

**A/N: **For those of you who read this story before February of 2012, I decided to change the point of view throughout the story to third-person past. To all readers, if you spot any changes I missed, please let me know so I can fix them.

**Disclaimer: **All nonoriginal characters and settings in this chapter belong to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and all other organizations with legal claims to the franchise. Leah and the Nido family belong to me.

* * *

**THE MORNINGRAY CHRONICLES  
(TMRC) - PART 1 **

~ Chapter 1: ~  
Old World Secrets

"Let's get her," the female Nidoran said, lowering her body into a crouch.

Leah tightened her grip around the slingshot handle, watching the Pokémon carefully. The torches on the cave walls cast patterns of light and shadow along the Nidoran's spiky body and were reflected in her narrowed, red eyes. No doubt she was thinking of what a good meal the six-year-old human would make.

The Nidoran grinned as if sensing the girl's tension.

_I'll show her,_ Leah thought as she reached into the sack resting against her hip for a gravelerock. Fitting the projectile to the string, she took aim.

Claws clicked against the stone floor behind her, and she turned to see a pink blur charging her way. She leapt to the side just in time to avoid a Peck attack, firing on impulse. The gravelerock bounced harmlessly off the floor where the female had been standing. Before Leah could look for her, she heard the low whistle of an attack firing from behind. She jumped aside to avoid the Poison Sting barrage, wincing as a stray needle pierced her arm.

Before she could land, a pink head bashed into her stomach. The attack sent her flying a couple of feet, and she crashed just inches from the cave wall. The slingshot fell from her grip, and gravelerocks clattered on the floor as they spilled from her bag. She barely had time to catch her breath before another Poison Sting came her way. She grasped the slingshot and rolled aside, her stomach pressing painfully against the littered gravelerocks.

"That's it," she said, snatching one of the stones and scrambling to her feet. Playtime was over. Pulling the loaded string back, she took quick aim at the closest Nidoran and fired. The gravelerock soared, but instead of hitting the male center-forehead like she'd aimed, it struck just above his left eye.

"Ow!" He flinched, his eyes scrunched in pain, before falling on his stomach and burying his face against the gray, stone floor, motionless.

Leah froze. "Did…I…make him faint?"

"No," his muffled voice answered. He lifted his head, a tear streaking from his eye. "But you didn't have to shoot _that_ hard."

The female Nidoran trotted to his side and licked at the sore spot above his eye.

"Thanks, Nikki," he said.

"I'm sorry, Nate!" Leah dropped her slingshot and rushed over to his other side, leaning down low to throw her arms around his neck. "I didn't mean to. I was just pretending you and Nikki were going to eat me."

"Ew!" Nikki squealed. "Gross! You're our sister."

They all laughed, and Leah let go of Nate. "I thought pretending would make you seem more like real enemies, so I could be stronger."

Both pairs of spiky Nidoran ears perked up.

"Oh, really?" Nikki asked, a mischievous glint surfacing in her eyes.

"_Real_ enemies?" Nate said at the same time.

They looked at each other and grinned. Before Leah could react, they jumped her with light and sloppy tackles, knocking her on her backside and pinning her. Four paws and two noses kneaded her stomach.

"Stop!" she cried, laughing and squirming. "Stop it! That tickles!"

The Nidoran giggled and tickled her more fiercely, causing her to squeal even louder.

"Stop it, you two," a female voice called. "Leave Leah alone. It's a wonder Father can read, given the racket you're causing."

Both Nidoran moved back, allowing Leah to sit up. "Nora!" she cried, jumping to her feet and running toward the Nidorina at the cave entrance. "Nora, you're back!" She dropped to her knees and threw her arms around the newcomer's neck, mindful of the sack hanging from her side.

Nora chuckled. "I wasn't gone that long. I only went out to get some food with Mother, you know." Nevertheless, she nuzzled Leah in return.

"Aww, how come you're always so nice to Leah and not to us?" Nikki asked, pouting. "We're your real sister and brother."

Leah flinched, letting go of Nora.

"Nikki!" Nora scolded. "Apologize to your sister."

Nikki took one look at Leah, and her face froze and sank with guilt. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that."

"You are so mean!" Nate said, ramming Nikki from the side and jumping on top of her when she collapsed.

"Am not!" Nikki rolled so she was on top of him. The two rolled across the floor, trading am-nots, are-toos, Pecks, and Scratches back and forth.

Leah's eyes fell to the floor, and she bit her lip. From the corner of her eye, she saw two lavender paws approach.

"Leah?" Nora touched her arm with a paw. "You know Nikki didn't mean it."

"She did so." Leah turned away. "I'm not your real sister. You never let me battle with Nikki and Nate because I'm a human."

Nora sighed. Leah had been growing more insecure about her humanity ever since she found out she was the only one in this region. "That doesn't matter; you're our family. Mother and Father adopted you." She came around to Leah's front. "And I just don't want you to get hurt. That's all."

Before Leah could reply, another voice shouted, "I thought I heard chaos breaking loose in here!"

Nikki and Nate stopped fighting, and everyone turned to see a Nidoking standing in the doorway, his face lit up with an amused grin. "And now I see I was right, you little rascals."

"Father!" Nikki and Nate squealed at the same time, scrambling over each other to rub against each of his legs. He chuckled and bent down to pat their heads. But his grin fell when he looked to the other two girls in the room.

"What's wrong, Leah?"

Nora sniffed. "Oh, Nikki just said something stupid."

"I said I didn't mean it!"

"Did too," Nate said.

"Did not!"

Both Nidoran left their father's side and charged at each other, colliding in a loud headbutt. They pulled back, groaning and shaking their heads, before meeting with twin tackles and rolling across the room again.

Nidoking chortled. "Just like twins. Always an even matchup." He shook his head and turned his attention back to Nora. "So what did she say?"

"She just accidentally made Leah feel like she was weak and not part of the family. That's all."

"Is it?" Nidoking smiled kindly at Leah. "Don't I call you my daughter? And don't Nora, Nikki, and Nate all call you their sister?"

She nodded.

"And haven't you been practicing with that slingshot?" Nora pitched in.

"Mm-hm." The girl nodded a little more enthusiastically and looked up.

Nora and Nidoking both smiled at her. "Then you have your answer," the father-figure said. He paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, I wanted to show you something. Come with me to my study. Nora, how long did your mother say she would be?"

"Not much longer," Nora answered. "But you should probably have time."

As Nidoking led Leah further into the cave, they heard Nora say, "All right, you two. Quit fighting and help me set the table." A pair of groans filtered in from the entry chamber as the two left it behind.

They crossed the dining hall to the opening on the right, the hole that led to the room Nidoking and his mate shared. Two torches lit up the chamber. A straw bed large enough for the two fully-evolved Pokémon lay in the center of the room. At the far side of the chamber, a dull, brown fabric hung from the wall, contrasting slightly with the gray stone. Nidoking lifted the cloth, revealing another opening. Leah stepped inside, and he followed once she was through.

The chamber they stood in was half the size of the bedroom, but much better lit. A desk with two smooth, stone stools sat against one wall, and several bookshelves lined the opposite end. Four books were stacked on the desk, and another lay open, the colors on the pages grabbing Leah's attention. She moved closer and saw the painting of a vibrant, emerald forest filled with tall trees and shrubs. Large flowers in varying shades of pink and red capped the plants, and light filtered through gaps in the canopy to create dazzling rays in the air. She'd never seen anything so beautiful.

"Did the Old World look like this, too?" she asked, tracing the lines of the flowers longingly with her fingers.

"Yes, or so it is believed," Nidoking replied, taking a seat on one of the stools.

She sat down on the opposite side, never removing her thirsty eyes from the painting. Nidoking had shown her many pictures like this—pictures of blue skies with puffy, white clouds; green forests and fields alive with flowers and fruit; and colorful towns filled with many Pokémon, all of them smiling and friendly. These were examples of what the world was like a long time ago, according to her father. The sky and clouds of the world today were almost black, and most of the land was bare and in varying shades of gray. There were no towns; most Pokémon outside her family were wild, always fighting for food and shelter.

"This book has more depictions of the Old World than any I have shown you before," Nidoking said. "It even offers clues as to why the world became the way it is now—or, at least, that's what I think. I would like you to read it, and to study it very closely."

"Really?" Leah asked.

He nodded. "I've taught you everything I could to prepare you for this. You can read both human writing and footprint runes, and you know a lot of difficult words that Nikki and Nate wouldn't be able to learn for several more years. Take a look at the next page."

She flipped the page over to reveal strange writing she'd never seen before. What caught her attention were the eyes that centered each letter. "What language is this?"

"I'm not sure." She looked up at Nidoking, surprised. It was rare for him not to have an answer. "I've studied it for years, but I've never been able to figure it out."

She studied the page closer. Some of the letters looked familiar—she thought she could pick out an E and an L. But before she could hone in on one, all the eyes on the page seemed to move, some blinking, some widening, only to grow still when she looked right at them.

"Do the eyes seem to distract you when you read them, too?"

"Yes." She couldn't even decide where to focus anymore. "It's hard to look at them. But I think I saw a few letters."

Nidoking chuckled. "I had a feeling you might. I have read rumors of an ancient alphabet that mirrored human writing. However, the key to understanding it had been lost years ago. My guess is that this is the alphabet, and the eyes are what make it so impossible to read."

"So how can anyone read it?"

"That's where you come in." He caught her gaze and held it. "Few Pokémon have ever learned to read the human language. The letters are small and difficult. And if the writing in this book mirrors human writing, it becomes even harder for a Pokémon to decipher. But you are a human—human writing is made for your kind to understand. So perhaps the same ability applies to this mysterious alphabet."

Nidoking stood, crossing the room to stand before the bookshelves. Tracing a claw gently over the spine of one of the books, he said, "It's time you learned the truth. Your mother and I have learned through our research that the planet is not as it should be. The Old World shouldn't have ended. But something caused its destruction—something transformed the beautiful world of the past into this dark, dead landscape. Little material remains about the Old World, and nothing we have found explains why it was destroyed."

He turned back to Leah. "But I have a hunch that this book will. The secretive alphabet is clue enough, and there are pictures in these pages that I have never seen before. If you can discover the key to the ancient writing," he put a hand on her shoulder, "then you might be able to solve the mystery that has gone unanswered for generations—the mystery of what happened to our world."

Excitement stirred within the pit of her stomach. Her father was assigning her a task—an important task that no one else could perform. She lifted the book from the table, stroking the pages, turning them to see what other wonders lay inside.

"But you must promise me something," Nidoking said. She looked up at him. "You must always keep this book with you. Carry it in your sack when you are not reading it. If you lose it, you will lose the only key we have to this world's past."

"I promise," she said. Nidoking held his hand out for the book, took a large sheet of paper out from under the desk, and started to wrap it around the volume.

"And more importantly," he added as he worked, "you must never show this book to anyone."

"Why not?"

Nidoking paused for a moment, studying her, before he answered. "If this book were ever to fall into the wrong hands…it would be worse than losing it." He finished wrapping the book. "Promise me. Never tell anyone about it…unless you would trust that Pokémon with your own life."

She could feel it in his words. This was very important—more important than she could imagine. She wouldn't betray his trust. Locking eyes with him, she said, "I understand. I promise."

He couldn't help but smile. She'd always been older than her years, thanks in large part to his rigorous teaching, but he'd never seen her look so mature and determined as she did now. Nodding, he handed her the wrapped book.

"Don't even mention this to Nora or the twins. If they ask, tell them that you are reading a storybook."

She nodded and opened her sack, sliding the book in carefully where the wrapping wouldn't be damaged by the gravelerocks.

Nidoking sat down and took the top book off the stack on his desk. She recognized the red cover. "Now, perhaps we should study Pokémon species again until your mother gets home."

They opened the book and poured over the pictures, Nidoking listening as Leah recited Pokémon names and types. He only had to correct her a few times, but it was always with an encouraging smile. After some time, she looked up from the book with a question she'd wanted to ask for a while. "Father, can I tell you a secret?"

* * *

Nora had brought back enough berries and apples to last the family for several meals, but when the Nidoqueen who was mother and mate of the Nidos came back, everyone cheered. She had not only found more berries, but some gummis, as well. Gummis were a rare treat—bean-shaped sweets that came in various colors and flavors, each representing the favorite of a specific Pokémon type. Nidoqueen had found four pink gummis, the choice of Poison-types like the Nidos, and two brown gummis, which she and Nidoking enjoyed, as they were part-Ground types. She had even found Leah's favorite, a grass gummi.

"You know, it's really strange that you like grass gummis the best," Nora said from across the table as she watched Leah bite part of it off, "especially since Grass-types are weak against Poison-types."

"Hm, speaking of Pokémon types," Nidoking said, "Leah shared something very interesting with me today. Would you like to hear it?"

Everyone stopped eating and looked at him. Nidoking continued, "Today while we were studying species, Leah told me which Pokémon she would like to be if she could ever become one."

"Ooh! Really?" Nikki said.

"Which one?" Nate asked.

Nidoking gave an amused smile. "Why don't you tell them, Leah?"

Five pairs of eyes were fixed upon her. Smiling, she said, "I would be a Treecko!"

"A _what_?" the twins exclaimed.

Nora's eyes widened. "A _Treecko_?" she cried, the hint of a laugh behind her voice.

Nidoqueen chuckled, and her mate said, "Yes, I'll admit I was surprised, too."

"You don't want to be a Nidoran?" Nikki's voice was high-pitched with disappointment. "Like me?"

"Of course she doesn't," Nate sneered. "Because you're ugly!"

"No, you are!" Nikki rounded on him.

"No, _you_ are!"

The twins yelled back and forth before leaving the table and starting another rolling war. The parents laughed, but Nora sighed and stood up. "Would you two grow up!"

While Nora struggled with her younger siblings, Nidoqueen asked, "So, Leah, why do you want to be a Treecko?"

"Because they're so cool! I liked them when I saw their picture. And I'm practicing! Treecko are fast and can dodge things easily, so I'm practicing dodging." She dug into her sack and pulled out her slingshot. "And Treecko can use Bullet Seed, so I'm practicing with gravelerocks."

"So that's why you begged your father to make you that slingshot."

"You do realize that a Treecko is a Grass-type, right?" Nora said as she returned to the table, having finally calmed the twins down.

"I know—Poison-types are strong against Grass-types. But Grass-types are strong against Ground-types, which are strong against you. So I could protect you!" A moment later, she added, "And my favorite gummi is the grass gummi, remember?"

Nora chuckled. "I guess you're right. But first you need to perfect your aim a little more. You're getting better, but you still have some work to do."

"Yeah, I know," Leah said. Her sister was right—she still had yet to manage a Tauros-eye. But now that Nidoking had assigned her a mission that no one else could do, she was ready for anything. She would become strong, just like her family. And she would figure out why the Old World died.

* * *

**Last edited: **2/12/12


	3. 2: First Mystery Dungeon

**A/N: **For those of you who read this story before February of 2012, I decided to change the point of view throughout the story to third-person past. To all readers, if you spot any changes I missed, please let me know so I can fix them.

**Disclaimer: **All nonoriginal characters and settings in this chapter belong to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and all other organizations with legal claims to the franchise. Leah and the Nido family belong to me.

* * *

**THE MORNINGRAY CHRONICLES  
(TMRC) - PART 1**

~ Chapter 2: ~  
First Mystery Dungeon

Several days passed since Nidoking had given her the book with the strange writing, but Leah never came any closer to cracking the code. The eyes in the letter continued to distract her, and after a while, they grew so bright that they gave her headaches. By now, she had almost given up.

But she still sat beneath a torch in the bed chamber she shared with Nora, leafing through the book. As annoying as the letters were, the pictures more than made up for them. She stared at each one in turn for long minutes, drinking in the vibrant colors and imagining the dark world around her alive like these paintings.

The page she was looking at now was different than anything she had seen before. It was divided into two pictures. The one on top featured a sky that was a pool of cool and pastel colors, while the sky in the bottom painting was awash with melting warms. She recognized the large orb that her mother and father called the sun, which they said was once a source of light that hung high up in the sky. However, in both of these pictures, it was touching the ground.

After puzzling over these pictures for a few minutes, she turned the page. This time, her eyes fell upon something even stranger. The sky painted on this page was dark, yet it wasn't as lifeless as the dark gray one that covered the world now. Here, the sky was a velvety shade of navy blue, sparkling with dozens of white lights. An orb hung in the upper right corner, but it didn't look like the sun - it was paler, almost white, with soft gray patches along its surface.

She traced lines between the white dots in the sky with her fingers. Maybe this picture was a hint, a glimpse of the world as it changed and died. Perhaps that strange orb was an aging sun. She looked at the letters on the next page, hoping the answer lay beyond their barriers.

"Leah," a voice called. She blinked and looked up to see Nora standing in the entryway, eyeing her curiously. "You're still reading that book?"

She nodded, not wanting to say anything else. The promise she'd made Nidoking was still clear in her mind.

"Well, anyway," Nora continued, "Mother wants to see you, and she said for you to bring your sack. She's in the front room."

Curious, Leah closed the book and slipped it back into its paper jacket before replacing it in her sack. Nora led her out through her parents' room, crossing the dining room and into the entrance chamber, where she was surprised to see that everyone had gathered. Nidoqueen stood closest to the exit, a sack slung over her shoulder. She smiled when she saw them.

"I was just getting ready to gather some more food for our larder," she said. "Leah, would you like to accompany me this time?"

Leah nearly dropped her sack. Did she hear her right? "You-you really want me to come with you?"

"What? But what about us?" Nate cried.

"You promised this would be our turn," Nikki added, pouting her lip.

"Now, now, you two," Nidoking said, moving in to rub their heads. "Remember that this is Leah's first time foraging. And I promise you that next time, when it's my turn to go out, I'll bring you both with me."

"Okay," the twins replied, though their voices were still riddled with disappointment.

"Your Father is right, though," Nidoqueen said, turning back to me. "You're growing up, Leah, and I think it's time we recognized that. So, if you're ready, let's go."

It was everything she could do to keep herself from skipping over to her mother. Finally, they were letting her out of the cave! Even Nikki and Nate had foraged with their parents before, and they were younger than her. She'd always known it was because she was a human that they tried to protect her so much. Now, she could prove to them at last that she was as valuable to the family as everyone else.

Nora, Nidoking, and the twins wished them good luck as mother and daughter left the cave. As soon as they stepped outside, Leah shivered; the air had suddenly gone colder. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness all around us, and she wished the sleeves of her pink shirt were as thick as the turquoise vest she wore on top.

"It's so cold," she finally complained as she followed her mother across the gray, earthy path.

Nidoqueen nodded. "Yes. It's always this way when there is no fire or light around. Stay close to me, and you should feel a little warmer."

Leah nodded, moving close to her side. The pace Nidoqueen set was easy to keep up with, and as they walked, Leah gazed at the landscape around them. Craggy slopes rose to both their sides, the barrier to the right snaking around in front of us to form what looked like a roadblock. Her mother once told her that this was good protection for them; it hid their cave from view. She turned back for a quick glance at the mountains behind their cave.

Suddenly, her foot hit something, and she tumbled to the ground. Picking herself up, she looked back to see a stone poking out of the earth.

"You should pay more attention to where you're going," Nidoqueen chided, but her voice was kind. "It's not an easy road."

The girl brushed herself off, her face growing hot.

The path forked to the left, cutting through a narrow gap between the rocky slopes. Once they passed through, they made their way down a long, rugged hill until they reached the bottom. Some scattered trees dotted the otherwise empty field, a few gnarled, all long dead. A path began not too far from where the foragers were standing, and they followed it.

"Mother?" Leah asked. "Where are we going?"

"To a place called a mystery dungeon."

"A mystery dungeon? What's that?"

"It's a dungeon that forms a kind of maze. Mystery dungeons exist in many places—the one we'll be entering is in a forest. They have special features that you won't find anywhere else in the world."

"Like what?" Leah asked, intrigued.

"Mystery dungeons change every time you enter them—you'll never see the same rooms or corridors in the same position. They also exude a unique atmosphere, though it's a bit difficult to explain." Nidoqueen fell silent for a moment. "Somehow, it gradually drains a Pokémon's energy; we have to eat often to keep our strength up, or we will eventually faint. And if I faint, or if we stay in one section of the dungeon too long, we will be kicked out and lose some of our possessions."

A light fog began to appear, surrounding the two but not hampering their vision too much. Nidoqueen seemed unaffected; she didn't slow her pace.

"But isn't that dangerous?" Leah asked, worried about what her mother had said.

Nidoqueen gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course it is. On top of all of that, dungeons are grounds for wild Pokémon, and these Pokémon are usually rather tough compared to those outside of dungeons. But the dungeons aren't impossible to get through, and the risks are worth it in the end. They make excellent foraging grounds—whenever the layout is changed, new food and items appear, as well."

Leah thought over everything she'd been told, but she still didn't fully understand. "Why are dungeons like this?"

Nidoqueen paused. "No one knows - as their name implies, they are a mystery. Pokémon have tried to research them in the past, but nothing ever came of it."

They were silent for a few minutes as they continued walking, while Leah tried to make sense of what her mother told me. The fog began to lift, throwing their surroundings into greater relief.

"Look! Trees!" Leah pointed. A line of trees had appeared on the path in front of them. "Is this where we're going?"

"Yes," Nidoqueen said. "The dungeon starts shortly after we enter the forest."

All of Leah's worries about dungeons vanished, replaced by the excitement and curiosity that were her near-constant companions. She was going exploring! She was going to get food! Maybe she'd even find some gummis! She broke into a run for the trees.

"Leah!" Nidoqueen shrieked.

The alarm in her mother's voice made Leah stop. Shame washed over her as she turned around, though she didn't know what she'd done wrong. "What?"

Nidoqueen caught up to her. "Didn't you listen to what I said? Dungeons are risky, even for Pokémon who have been through them many times."

"I'm sorry," Leah mumbled, looking down. She'd made her mother mad; she'd never done that before.

A hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up to see guilt in Nidoqueen's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Leah. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You just scared me when you took off, that's all." She turned her head to gaze at the forest. "I chose this particular dungeon because it doesn't see a lot of other Pokémon. It's safer than most dungeons. Still," she looked back at her daughter, "we need to be cautious, always. Your father and I have told you before that most wild Pokémon are only interested in their own survival. They will attack anything that moves, especially when there is food or shelter nearby."

She touched Leah's shoulder. "That's why I need you to make me a promise. Stay by my side and keep alert, and if I tell you not to touch something or ask you to hide, I need you to do it without question. Will you do this for me?"

"Mm-hm." Leah nodded.

"Good." Nidoqueen lifted her hand. "Now get your slingshot ready, and we'll go in."

Leah reached into her sack, pulling the weapon out. After shuffling her gravelerocks around so they would be easier to reach in a pinch, she looked up at her mother. "Ready."

"Then let's go," Nidoqueen said.

As they stepped between the trees, Leah thought over what Nidoqueen had said about this dungeon. She knew her mother had chosen an easier location because of her, and she couldn't help but feel a little bitter.

* * *

The moment they stepped into the dungeon, they knew it. Aside from the obvious tipoff that the trees formed artificial walls and hedges, they could sense a difference in the air. It wasn't painful, and it didn't make Leah feel weak. But it made her feel a bit uneasy, as if danger could be lurking around any corner.

She stayed by her mother's side as Nidoqueen led them through the rooms, pausing every now and then to choose a corridor to take. The girl could see what Nidoqueen had meant when she said this place was like a maze. The rooms and corridors all looked the same, each walled with tall trees that hid anything outside of the room or corridor from view. The barriers themselves were impassable; the trees grew too close together, unnaturally so.

When they reached the sixth room, they found some Oran and Pecha berries on the ground. They scooped them up and placed them in Nidoqueen's sack.

"Mother?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are some of the trees alive here?" Ever since they'd entered the forest, they'd noticed a mixture of dead, dying, and living foliage. "None of the trees we saw before we came to the forest were alive, and Father told me that trees needed sunlight to live."

"I'm not sure. Your father and I have wondered about that, too. We can only guess that these are a mutant species, and that they have adapted to some other source of energy."

Their trip continued in relative silence for a while. Soon, Nidoqueen's sack was half full with various apples, berries, and other fruit. They also found a few gravelerocks for Leah's bag. But they still hadn't come across any other Pokémon.

"I'm surprised," Nidoqueen said after finishing an apple. "Even though this dungeon isn't as frequented as others, I would have expected to see some Pokémon by now. As grateful as I am that we haven't yet, and as much as I want to attribute it to good fortune, I don't like it."

Her uneasiness was contagious. Leah held her breath, listening carefully for any sounds beyond their own footsteps.

In the next room, they found an incredible sight. Three gummis lay on the ground, and all of the trees lining the room were alive. There were even a few shrubs and bushes.

"We're lucky," Nidoqueen said. "We got here just in time—a few of the trees still have some fruit left."

Leah put her slingshot in her sack to free her hands and gathered the gummis while Nidoqueen worked on one of the trees. After placing her load in her mother's sack, she chose a tree several paces away, one that bore Cheri berries, and started gathering the fruit herself. She counted the number of berries on the tree as she picked them. Six, seven…

"Leah, get behind me!" Nidoqueen yelled.

Flinching, Leah turned to see her mother running toward her. Without hesitation, she dropped the berries and dove behind Nidoqueen's back, bringing her slingshot out. She turned and braced herself. A thud sounded, and Nidoqueen groaned, her body jerking backward a few inches before she held the attack off. Gathering toxic, purple energy into her claws, she punched the enemy in front of her with a Poison Jab.

Having gained time, Nidoqueen ushered Leah backward, and the girl finally saw their attacker. A rhinoceros-like Pokémon shook its head, grunting. Its body was covered with gray, stone plates, and on all fours it stood almost as tall as Leah did on her two legs. It opened its tiny eyes, its red irises hostile as it glared at them.

"A Rhyhorn," Nidoqueen whispered, massaging the wound on her stomach. "I've never seen one in this area before, and certainly not this powerful. Now we know why we haven't seen any other Pokémon yet." She glanced sideways at Leah. "Whatever you do, don't let its attacks hit you."

Leah nodded, loading a gravelerock and firing it. It smacked the side of the Rhyhorn's face, and though off its mark, it caused some damage. Nidoqueen followed up with a Poison Sting, much faster and stronger than the ones Nikki had used against Leah in their play battle. Nora once told Leah that this was a warning strategy—Nidoqueen liked to start off battles with one of her weaker or type-disadvantaged attacks, because even they had serious power behind them, and they warned her opponents she was a tough contender.

The Rhyhorn shook off the needle and roared, rearing on its hind legs. Nidoqueen cried out in alarm, gripping Leah beneath the arms and lifting her off her feet. The Rhyhorn threw its weight back down, shaking the ground in an Earthquake so powerful that Leah felt the vibrations through her mother's grip. Nidoqueen bellowed in pain, swaying as the super-effective shockwaves tore through her. Suddenly, she lost her balance, releasing her daughter as she fell.

"Mother?" Leah cried, standing up. The few remaining shock waves stung her body.

Nidoqueen moaned and braced her arms against the ground, struggling to push herself up. "This Rhyhorn is more powerful than I thought."

Anger clenched in Leah's stomach. How dare that Rhyhorn hurt her mother! She reached into her sack for the largest gravelerock she could find, yanked her slingshot string as far back as it could go, and fired. The rock missed its mark, smacking the Rhyhorn on the nose beneath its horn.

The Rhyhorn growled, shaking its head. It scuffed its foot across the ground and charged, faster than she thought possible. Gasping, she threw herself to the side, barely avoiding the Take Down attack. But the Rhyhorn surprised her by pivoting and coming back, no momentum lost. She was still on the ground—she couldn't get away! Screaming, she curled up.

A loud collision sounded like two boulders smashing into one another, but she felt no pain. She looked up to see her mother standing before her, shielding her. Nidoqueen cried out in pain but held her ground, her body trembling as it gathering energy. The ground shook as the earth beneath the Rhyhorn erupted in a geyser of mud, splattering its underside and throwing it backward. It landed hard on its side, its head smacking the ground. Nidoqueen sagged to her knees, panting.

The Rhyhorn grunted, struggling to stand. Leah's heart pounded painfully. Her mother was too exhausted for another powerful attack; she'd have to act quickly. Hands shaking, she loaded another gravelerock. She gritted her teeth, trying to stop the trembles in her body.

The Rhyhorn managed to right its position and started pushing itself up. Panicking, Leah fired too soon. The gravelerock soared from the string, arched over the Pokémon's head, and landed with a smack on its back. The Rhyhorn's roar was laced with a wheeze as it collapsed once more. Its head sagged to the ground, and this time, it didn't move.

Leah stared in shock. Did she really do it? Did she really bring it down?

Light surrounded the Rhyhorn's body, and moments later, it was gone. She gasped, backing up in horror. What had just happened?

"Calm down," Nidoqueen said. "It's just being teleported out of the dungeon. Remember what I told you about when Pokémon faint?"

Relieved, Leah turned to look at her mother. Nidoqueen was still on her knees, slumped in a manner that showed her weakened state. But her eyes were alive with light. Looking around, Leah spotted the sack her mother had discarded during the fight laying beside one of the fruiting trees. She ran over to it, searching for an Oran berry, and brought the fruit back.

"Are you okay?" she asked as Nidoqueen ate the berry.

"Yes, I'll be fine now." The berry was already taking effect - the wounds on Nidoqueen's body were starting to heal. "That Rhyhorn…I haven't faced a Pokémon that tough in a long time. I haven't lost a battle since evolving, but this... I almost did this time."

Staying on her knees, she wrapped her arms around Leah and pulled her daughter to her.

"I'm so proud of you, my brave, brave child. It scares me to think what could have happened to you, but you handled that battle so well. I'm so proud."

Tears pierced Leah's eyes as guilt wracked her for the bitterness she'd felt earlier. Shaking with light sobs, she clung to her mother, who stroked her back to comfort her. Now, she understood her family's caution. Nidoqueen was the strongest of the Nidos, and Nidoking said she was the strongest in the area. If she had been that badly injured…what would have happened to Leah?

Finally, Leah dried her eyes. "But I didn't even hit my mark. I've never hit my mark, ever."

Nidoqueen let her go, grinning. Standing, she said, "But you didn't miss, either. All three of your shots hit, and all three caused damage. You're getting better—you should be proud of that."

Something in those words turned Leah's mood around, and she smiled. The remnants of her fear and guilt vanished, overtaken by triumph. They'd won. This was her first battle—her first real battle—and she'd won!

"Wait until everyone hears about this!" she cried, gathering the berries she'd dropped when they were attacked.

Nidoqueen laughed. "Now I know you're back to normal. Come on, we shouldn't stay here. The last thing we need is for another Pokémon to attack us."

As they picked a few more berries, Leah asked, "Mother, what was that move you used at the end?"

"Earth Power. Nidoqueen are quite notorious for it."

As they stored the last of their gatherings away, something pricked at Leah's senses like an itch. She looked behind her, but nothing was there. Glancing around, she didn't see anything different, but she felt uneasy nonetheless.

"What's wrong, Leah?"

"I…I felt something," she whispered. "Like I was being watched."

Nidoqueen closed her sack and swept the room with her careful gaze. She stood straight and still, using all of her senses to help her search.

"I don't see anything," she finally whispered back, "but I don't want to stay here to find out. Let's go."

Leah nodded, and they left the room. But as they walked down the corridor, she cast a final nervous glance back.

* * *

Back in the vacated room, a Pokémon sat within the tallest bush, well concealed by the leaves. He had heard what sounded like a high-leveled fight while he was out patrolling and decided to investigate. And he was glad he did.

"I never would have thought it was possible," the Pokémon murmured once they were gone, his voice scratchy and somewhat high-pitched for a male. "A human, here. But Master always thought it might happen."

When his master had assigned him to patrol this area, he'd felt shortchanged. Nothing ever happened out here. But now, he would finally have something of worth to report. He committed the girl's appearance to his memory, taking special note of her individual features. Bushy, blondish-brown hair that didn't quite reach her shoulders. Gray eyes and pale skin. Turquoise vest atop a pink long-sleeved shirt, light purple pants, and brown boots. And if he remembered right, the Nidoqueen had called her Leah.

"Who knew a human child could be so resourceful, though?" he asked himself, still amazed. He'd seen that Rhyhorn before—It was a roaming Pokémon and well-known as a terror wherever it went. And that human had brought it down. Granted, the Nidoqueen had done most of the damage, but he had to admit he was still impressed. One attack from that stone-coated rock-type would likely have killed the girl. But she held her own.

Once he was sure he would be out of the foragers' line of sight, he stood, still hidden. He would see for himself who these others the girl had mentioned were, and he would find out where they had been hiding her all this time.

* * *

**Last edited:** 2/12/12


	4. 3: Discovered

**A/N:** I'm very sorry for the long hiatus. This chapter has been causing me problems for two years, and to be honest, it really made me start doubting my writing abilities. I've also been experiencing a lot of real-life stress due to college and not being able to find a job. But thanks to the encouragement of my friends on deviantART and some of my readers here, I was finally able to break through my slump and bring TMRC back to life. I would also like to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and story alerted this fic. I'll do my best to hold onto my new momentum so the next chapter won't take nearly as long to write.

For those of my older readers who haven't noticed this in the previous two chapters yet, I decided to switch the point-of-view to third-person so I'd have a freer ranger of characters to work with. Plus, I just didn't feel Leah read like a six-year-old in first-person. Also, I will be drawing an illustration for each chapter on deviantART. Since doesn't allow links to other sites, the best alternative is to google "rhaedaleemire deviantart" to find my page if you're interested in seeing them.

My beta reader has informed me that he won't be able to review the chapter this week, so I decided to post it as-is in the meantime. I'll come back and edit the text if necessary when he gets back to me.

**Disclaimer: **All nonoriginal characters and settings in this chapter belong to Satoshi Tajiri, et al. Leah, the Nido family, and One through Six belong to me.

* * *

**THE MORNINGRAY CHRONICLES  
(TMRC) - PART 1**

~ Chapter 3: ~  
Discovered

The crumbled remains of half a tower hovered high above the still sea below. Gray-toned rocks and boulders hung suspended in the air around it, seeming ready to fall at any moment, but never so much as shifting. Some were remnants of the ruined tower, while others had broken off from the landmass that once supported the structure.

An impish, purple Pokémon sat at the edge of a nearby floating island, legs dangling over the edge. He bit into the half-eaten rock in his hands, his razor-sharp teeth mashing the hard material and filling the still air with scrapes and crunches. The ruby on his chest and sapphires on his back shimmered with his movements. His diamond eyes were fixed on the broken tower in the distance.

He was stalling, and he knew it. His master was impatient, and he was abandoning his patrol before he'd been given leave. He was already ranked low enough on the totem pole as it was: number five in an army of six.

His fingers constricted the rock harder, dislodging a few crumbs from the bitten edges. "Suck it up. Master can sense when you're afraid, and you came back because you have something good to report this time."

Sometimes he wished he'd never seen that group of fellow Sableye passing through his forest, never begged them to take him with them. His life before recruitment at Temporal Tower had been lonely and worthless, but at least he'd never had to deal with this much stress.

Frustrated with his cowardice, he bit his rock so hard that it snapped in three, two pieces falling over the edge. Serving in the Sableye army was a thankless job, but it was better than fending for himself in the wild. Finishing what was left of his meal in one bite, he stood and picked the flakes from his teeth with a claw. He squared another glance at the tower and took a deep breath. At last, he jumped the short distance to the first hovering stone in the crooked semblance of a bridge and hopped his way to the tower.

Five wheezed as he mounted the staircase to the final floor, the last hurdle before the tower's pinnacle and his master's awaiting judgment. Every instinct within him told him to turn around and race back down every flight he'd climbed before it was too late. The legendary could easily crush the little Sableye under one foot if angered enough, and that was probably the least painless way to go.

"Calm down," he hissed, digging his claws into his palms in an attempt to stop trembling. "What's the worst he could do?"

He wished he hadn't asked that.

He crossed the empty maze of rooms and corridors, still trying to catch his breath from the long climb. For as long as he'd served at Temporal Tower, he'd never become accustomed to the twenty-floor climb. The structure may have appeared no taller than ten floors tall from the outside, but Dialga had somehow used his power over time to warp the interior so that most of its former glory remained. One of the smarter Sableye said that Dialga most likely did it to confuse a potential intruder's sense of direction. Five didn't really care beyond the fact that it just meant more stairs to climb.

At last, he reached the final staircase. The cold air hit him at once as he reached the pinnacle. Gray brick lined the floor, and four pillars that had long ago been struck by lightning lined the corners. At the far end of the room, an entire section of the floor had been blasted away into a V-shaped abrasion. The purple Pokémon stood as still as he could manage, pulse thumping in his ears.

Two glowing, red eyes appeared in the darkness. Five cringed; they were narrowed in a way that hinted their owner wasn't pleased. The massive outline of a long-necked, quadrupedal Pokémon grew distinguishable from the black sky background, so much taller than the quaking Sableye that the top of its head seemed tantamount to a ceiling. Orange lines flashed along the legendary's body, bringing the silhouette in and out of view as they glowed and faded.

The eyes darkened, and the waves of a deep growl sent a slight rumble through the floor. "Sableye."

"G-greetings, Master Dialga!" he said, cursing himself for his lack of spine.

"_Silence!_" Five jumped. "You had better have a good reason for abandoning your post before the summons."

"Y-yes, Dialga, I was going to get to that." This must have been one of Dialga's more verbose days, the days the Sableye dreaded. The more coherent and talkative Dialga was, the fouler his mood. "I was making my rounds like I usually do, but then I heard something that sounded like fighting. So I went over to check it out, and I saw a Rhyhorn fighting a Nidoqueen. But there's more!" he cried as Dialga's growl thickened with impatience. "There was a human girl with them."

"A HUMAN!" Dialga's orange highlights blazed as he stumbled back from his platform. Even to Five, who was gifted with the ability to understand Dialga's normally indecipherable growling, the legendary's words were almost impossible to distinguish from his sudden roar. In this state, the Sableye could easily see why he had earned the title "Primal Dialga."

As Five counted his shallow breaths, Dialga regained himself and returned to his place. "If this is a lie, you will suffer for your insolence."

"It's true! I swear it!" Five proceeded to recite the details of the girl's appearance, the well-hidden cave she and her "mother" had claimed, and every member of the family protecting her. As he spoke, images rose unbidden within his mind. He remembered how the Nidoqueen's hand had cupped the human's shoulder, how the two Nidoran had jumped on her and sent them all to the ground in a heap of laughter. He'd listened to the Nidorina's congratulations, watched the Nidoking sweep the girl into a hug, mindful of his strength. As much as he'd puzzled it over on his way to the Tower, the Sableye still couldn't figure out why they were so affectionate with a _human_, why they would even shelter one in the first place. Dialga showed no pride; his only emotions were outright malice when he was displeased and quiet anger when he wasn't. Humans were weak, bled easily, and were outlawed in Dialga territories. So why did this girl get what Five never would?

Dialga sat in silence when the Sableye finished his report. Five waited, clicking the claws of fingertips together.

"Be ready to deliver your report when the others assemble. What is your rank?"

"Five."

"Do not lie to me." Dialga turned away. "You are Four."

It took a moment for his master's words to register, but when they did, the purple Pokémon had to bite his cheeks to stop himself from laughing. Four. He was Four now. Here he'd been fearing for his life, and instead, he'd been promoted! Oh, he couldn't wait to see the look on that pompous former-number-Four's face when she found out he'd taken her rank. She'd be so—

Five jumped as Dialga's roar shook the tower, rattling the very air around them. Though the legendary was utilizing his signature Roar of Time as a summons rather than an attack, the sound waves were still powerful enough to jar the purple Pokémon's body. Attempting once more to still his quivering, reminding himself that the worst was over, he found a seat on a slab broken off from one of the pillars and settled down to watch for the rest of their small army's arrival. It was going to be a long, boring wait.

* * *

Leah pulled the strips back until the stick trembled, grasping slingshot and gravelerock tighter to hold them steady. Her gaze was locked on an apple-sized slab protruding from the cave wall. She slid her left eye shut, allowing only the orb parallel to her shooting hand its sight. The tiniest sliver of her tongue poked out from the corner of her lips.

She released. The gravelerock smacked the target perfectly in the center. She threw her hands up and whooped, the strips of her slingshot flapping as she jumped in all directions.

Ever since foraging with Nidoqueen and facing off with the rogue Rhyhorn, Leah had been refining her technique. She'd come home days ago to her family's praise, feeling the most proud she ever had in her life. Then the nightmare came. She'd found herself back in the dungeon, her mother critically wounded and the Rhyhorn ready to charge. She fired gravelerock after gravelerock, watching with increasing horror as each one missed by a wider margin than the last, and could do nothing as the Rhyhorn trampled her into the ground. Her screams woke her entire family, and the five Nidos had rushed to her side to comfort her.

Her dream had made her realize that she'd only won her battle through luck, and that she couldn't rely on lucky shots to save her the next time she was on her own. So she took over the playroom as her training ground with an enthusiasm that both amused and worried her family. The first day was a mess of frustration. She hit a few targets, but they all felt like the same flukes she'd shot against the Rhyhorn. She and Nidoking poured over the book that had taught them how to make her slingshot, but little of what they found could be applied to practical use.

Then, near the end of the second day, she discovered that if she closed one eye, her target centered more clearly in her vision and her accuracy improved. Two shots later, she hit her first true Tauros-eye, one she could claim was all skill. Now, she was hitting more targets than she missed, and the playroom was feeling too small for her needs. She would be ready if that Rhyhorn ever showed up again; she felt like she could take on anything.

She wanted to share her success with someone. Her mother and the twins had just come back from foraging and were likely unpacking. She wasn't sure where Nora would be, but her father was most likely in his study, as usual. He would be expecting her soon for her lessons, now that she thought of it. Smiling, she raced from the room, speeding through the caverns until she shoved the familiar brown cloth to the side and burst in on Nidoking reading at his desk.

"Hi, Father!" she chirped, skipping over to him and jumping on his back. He let out a mock wheeze, causing her to giggle as she hooked her arms lightly around his neck.

"You seem cheerful today," he chuckled. "What's got you so excited?"

"I hit four Tauros-eyes in a row! I'm a pro now!"

He laughed. "So you are, my little genius, so you are."

"What are you reading?" she asked, pushing herself higher to see over his shoulder.

"Just some old legends about exploration teams. I'm sure you remember the one about Wigglytuff."

"Yeah, he ate perfect apples and loved his 'friendly friends.' He was funny!"

They passed the next few minutes together comfortably, Leah listening as Nidoking read out loud from where he'd left off. She leaned her cheek against his, loving how warm the vast surface of his back felt, the way the rumble of his speech tickled her skin. He flipped the page, and she shifted position to see better, loosening her locked hands.

Suddenly, his voice trailed off, and both heads shot up in unison. Something was in the air, a sense of wrongness that made the back of her neck prickle. Her first clue was the slight tremors in the ground that vibrated to her secondhand through Nidoking's body. She thought she could hear a faint noise, something that sounded like a muffled roar.

Nidoking jerked to a standing position, his movement so unexpected that Leah tumbled from his back and bounced off his tail, landing sprawled on the floor. She stayed where she was, her arms propping her up, listening. She didn't like this. She didn't know why, but she felt a sense of danger. She felt like she was back in the dungeon, the Rhyhorn staring her down with cold, lethal eyes, a warning growl filling the room like smog.

Then everything was still again, and the feeling of danger passed. But the silence that permeated the room was just as thick, just as suffocating.

"Fa-Father?" she finally managed in a wavering whisper. She cringed at how loud it sounded to her ears. "Father? What…was that?"

He didn't answer, just stood with his back facing her. His body looked harder than a rock and just as unmoving.

"Father?" she tried again, louder. Tentatively, she stood and walked around to face him. His eyes were wide and unfocused, the pupils shrunk. The look on his face scared her almost as much as the strange voice. She'd never seen Nidoking like this before, like he was…afraid.

Finally, he took a breath and closed his eyes, his body returning to life only to sag. His head lowered, and two clawed fingers rose to pinch the reddish-purple bridge between his eyes. He shook his head and let out another long sigh before finally looking up at his daughter.

"Leah. Go find Nora and the twins and play with them for a bit. I need to talk to your mother."

His voice was kind, but there was an undertone to it that made her uncomfortable. "But—"

"It's fine, Leah. Just go. I'll explain to you later."

"But—"

"_Now!_"

She jumped at the sharpness in his voice. He never yelled at her, no matter what she did. She didn't think she'd ever heard him raise his voice at all before, not even when Nikki and Nate were fighting at their worst.

Nidoking continued to watch her. Then he sighed. He knew better than to hide anything from her; she was much too observant and mature for that. He bent down, placing his hands on her shoulders, his face softening with remorse. "I'm sorry, Leah. I shouldn't have yelled. It's just…" He looked her in the eyes. "There's someone out there who's very dangerous. I think that was his call."

His words and demeanor struck her cold. This scene was all too familiar.

The sound of footsteps broke them out of their shared trance. They turned to see Nora standing in the entrance, a serious look on her face as she regarded her father. Nidoking nodded to her, and she gulped.

He turned back to Leah. "Go with Nora. Stay with her and the twins. I will see you soon."

The fight was long gone in Leah. They were acting too strange. And more importantly, she could tell her father was trusting her to listen, the same way he'd trusted her with the book. It was a way she'd seen him act with Nora, but not Nikki or Nate. Like she was a big girl. She hugged him to show she understood and followed Nora out of the room.

They trekked to the twins' room with racing minds, Leah burning with questions she restrained with difficulty, Nora weighed down with answers she wished she'd never have to give. When they reached their destination, they were met with an even deeper hush. Nikki and Nate were abnormally subdued, their faces shadowed with worry and uncertainty. They were watching their mother, who stood facing the far wall. She turned as soon as the girls entered the room, and Leah was worried to see the same scared look in Nidoqueen's glazed eyes. She looked at Nora, held Leah's gaze for a long moment, and rushed from the room without a word. Leah exchanged a questioning glance with the twins, then all three pairs of eyes turned to Nora. The Nidorina sighed.

"Better make yourselves comfortable. This could take awhile."

* * *

Nidoking paced the study, unwilling to stay still for a second. His mate sat at the desk, staring at the pile of books and absently running a finger along one of the covers. It would have been a comical reversal of their natures if not for the dire circumstances.

Finally, Nidoqueen pushed the books away. "It can't be a coincidence."

"It's not," Nidoking answered. "I know it's not. Dialga's been nearly silent since Nora was born, and now, just days after Leah leaves the cave for the first time, this happens." The fear in his eyes was heartbreaking for Nidoqueen to see, and she knew she must look the same to him. "He knows. He knows about her."

"I should have waited longer. I shouldn't have taken her with me. She was ready, and she'd been waiting patiently for so long, but she would have been _safe_ if—"

"If she'd stayed in this cave for the rest of her life?" Nidoking finally sat in the chair diagonal from her, reaching over to grasp her paw. "You know as well as I do that we could never do that to her. We're lucky she stayed hidden here all this time as it is. We knew this would happen someday. If anything, we should have taken her out sooner, taught her how to survive in the wild. Now we're out of time."

Both fell silent, lost in their own thoughts.

"Our only chance is to rejoin the planetary investigation team," Nidoking finally spoke. "They'll take Leah in and keep her safe."

"But the last time we saw them, they were on the other side of the continent. We haven't seen anyone since Leah was handed into our care, not even Cresselia. They've likely moved since then. And even if they haven't, it will take us weeks to get there. Worse, the Sableye move twice as fast as we do, and with the children, we'll be slowed down even further. But we can't leave anyone behind—if Dialga knows about Leah, he most likely knows about all of us. If they catch us before we make it, or we lead them right to the rebellion and it falls, what chance will Leah have then?"

Nidoking sighed, rubbing his temples. "I always thought we were prepared for this to happen. We got complacent—there's no denying it." He mulled her argument over, then looked up. "You brought up some good points, but we're low on options. We need to move now, but we also need to put enough distance between us and any agents Dialga sends out. We need to split up. You take the children and move as fast as you can. I'll stay behind as a decoy."

"Love—!" Nidoqueen cried, then fell silent to consider it. Her face fell in resignation. "You're right, but you know I'm the stronger of us two in battle. What if…they overcome you?"

"That's exactly why you need to be the one to go with the children. If I fall and the Sableye catch up to you, someone will need to hold them off long enough for the kids to escape. You have a better chance of that."

Nidoqueen's voice was small as she asked, "You don't expect to make it back to us, do you?"

He looked away, but not before she caught the sorrow in his eyes. "You remember how strong those Sableye are as a unit. Alone, they're a force to be reckoned with, but manageable. But an army of them…"

Nidoqueen remembered the one battle she'd had with them, years before they were blessed with the miracle of Nora's birth when their species shouldn't have been able to lay eggs. She had joined the small rebellion only weeks before at his request, and both were newly evolved. They were ambushed at the foot of a mountain in the southeast strip of the continent, outnumbered seven-to-two. The Sableye were merciless, striking their enemies one-at-a-time in swift and confusing succession and barely leaving the young lovers room to breathe, let alone a window to fight back. Finally, the Nidos had released twin, full-power Earthquakes in desperation, causing a landslide that buried the small army and missed the instigators by mere feet. They hadn't stayed long enough to see what became of their attackers, but they were certain some of the Sableye had survived.

She knew Nidoking was right. She had a better chance of buying Nora time to lead her siblings to safety should the group be found. But the thought of her mate facing Dialga's forces alone, knowing he most likely wouldn't make it out alive… The thought of losing the Pokémon who found her, a starving feral, and gave her love, a family, and a life worth living…

"I can't believe this is happening," she whispered, burying her face in her paws. Nidoking stood and embraced her from behind. Silent tears slipped from both mates' eyes.

* * *

They packed everything they could carry into three bags, one each for Nidoqueen, Nora, and Leah. The cave had been silent ever since the Nido parents had explained to their children that they were leaving, apart from sniffles and sobs and Nora's attempts to reassure the panicked twins that everything would be all right. Leah and her younger siblings had protested the thought of abandoning their home. They stopped when they were told of the danger.

"Do you remember when we told you about the Time Pokémon?"

"Yeah, Dialga!" Nate said. "He went crazy when the planet was paralyzed and rules everyone now."

"He doesn't like you and Mother because of the work you do, right?" Leah asked.

"Right," Nidoqueen said. "He tried to capture us once, but we escaped. That made him angry. Unfortunately, he doesn't like humans, either." Leah gulped, and the twins looked at her with worried eyes. "We think he may have found her; that roar was a summoning call for the Sableye who serve him. So we need to leave now, before they get here."

Their only chance for survival was to meet up with a group of nice Pokémon who were old friends of their Mother and Father, and who would happily offer them shelter from the Sableye that were pursuing them. So now, they were gathering as much food for the journey as possible, adding orbs only when the bags were nearly full. Nidoking emerged from his study with the red-bound book of Pokémon, handing it to Leah. "The planetary investigation team should have some books for you to continue your studies, but just in case, I want you to take this with you."

She stored it in her bag, the only Old World treasure bag they owned and one of the last in existence. The tone of his voice and the absence of his own sack told her something was wrong. "But you're coming, too, aren't you?"

Nidoking froze, his face stricken. He cleared his expression quickly. "We…we'll talk about that in a moment, Leah. For now, finish packing."

After triple checking their bags and the larder, the family agreed that they could carry no more and had not forgotten anything important. Leah noticed that they were leaving a lot of food behind.

They all stood together in the cave's entry room. Nidoking sighed, sharing a sad glance with his mate. He knelt to his knees. "Come here, Leah, Nikki, Nate."

They obeyed, stepping tentatively in front of him. He placed one hand on Leah's shoulder and squeezed it, the other tweaking Nate's ear before settling on Nikki's back. He was silent for a moment, gathering courage, and finally choked out, "I'm staying behind."

"_What?_" three voices yelled, three bodies flinching back.

"Someone needs to stop the Sableye from following you. When they reach this place, I will fight them so they don't come after you."

"But you can't!" Leah cried, tearing up. "You'll be all alone!"

"I have to, sweetheart." He was looking solely at her now, two crystalline drops falling. "I don't want to—I wish more than anything I could go with you and your mother and siblings. But it's the only way. You have to get out safely…you have to."

Leah burst into sobs. She flung herself against her father, burying her face in the powerful ridges of his chest and wrapping her arms as far around him as they could go. He held her tightly, eyes clenched under a brow taut with agony. Nikki and Nate were wailing as well as they stared at their father. Nora couldn't bear the sight any longer and cried into her mother's side. She knew the special bond Leah and Nidoking shared. She saw it through his eager teachings; through the way he treated Leah as if she were closer to Nora's age than that of the twins; through the warmth, the scholarliness, the ever-present cheer they both shared. To force that bond apart was even crueler than forcing the family to flee in the first place.

Finally, after a long embrace, Leah looked up, and Nidoking slowly stood, tucking her hair behind her ear. She didn't want to let go; she didn't want to say goodbye. But she stood back and watched as he went to the twins next.

"I want you two to protect your sister and each other. Listen to your mother and Nora, and don't be scared."

"Why can't you go with us, Father?"

"We don't want you to stay here!"

He gathered the sobbing Nidoran in his arms and held them just as tightly as he'd held Leah, rocking them. He didn't answer for a while.

"You won't let them get you, will you?"

"You'll come find us, right?"

"Of course I will." He pulled back, and they dropped their front legs from his chest to the ground. "Can you both do that for me? Do you promise?"

"We promise," they answered in unison.

He smiled. "I knew I could count on you."

Nora, sensing her turn had come, separated from her mother and walked over to him. They stared at each other for long, silent moments, not knowing what to say, and saying everything with their eyes at the same time. They moved simultaneously, embracing each other more silently than the children had, but no less tearfully. When they parted, Nidoking cupped his daughter's cheek, wiping away the streak of her tears.

"You are so strong, so beautiful. I'm so proud of you, Nora—I hope you know that."

She nodded, sniffling.

"You know what to do, and I know you can do it. No matter what happens, I'm proud of you, and I'll know you gave everything you possibly had."

She gave him a watery smile, which he returned. She moved aside to clear his path to the last Pokémon waiting.

They stared at each other from where they stood, the distance no greater than a thread and as vast as an ocean separating two islands. They moved forward slowly, then all at once were in each other's arms, holding on as if they never wanted to let go, kissing with every bit of love, fear, pain, and hope in their breaking hearts. The children couldn't tear their eyes from the sight; even those too young to truly understand the concept of love could feel the power of the moment. They broke lip contact and touched foreheads, eyes never leaving each other.

"Be strong, and be careful."

"You be strong, as well. I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

They didn't need to say more. They let go almost painfully, and Nidoking backed away with his head down. They all knew it was time, but no one wanted to make the first move. Finally, Nidoqueen sighed and turned to her children. "Come on. It's time to go."

Nidoking followed them outside. He looked each member of his family over one last time. "I love you all, more than anything. Be swift, and be careful. I will do everything I can to meet you when the danger's passed." His eyes locked with Leah's. "Above all else, Leah, _you must escape_. Nothing is more important than your safe arrival with the investigation team. Nothing."

She swallowed and tugged at the strap of her treasure bag.

His mate and children said their I-love-you's in turn and took the first steps in their flight from sanctuary. They looked back over their shoulders at the waving form standing under the arch of the only home they'd ever known. Then they rounded the bend, and the cliff wall obscured him from view.

* * *

Three was pacing—no, _storming_ around the pinnacle, his diamond eyes flashing in the darkness. He was sick of waiting. The Sableye had all assembled at least an hour ago. Four had debriefed them of the situation, of how he'd found the human girl with a family of _Nidos._ He knew it was them, the Nidoking and Nidoqueen who had escaped all those years ago. The rebels whose Earthquakes had caused the landslide that killed his mate and best friend and ruined the mind of his brother. His fingers wouldn't stop flexing, his claws thirsty for their blood.

The other Sableye left him alone. That was fine with him; he didn't want to talk. Five—no, Four, he reminded himself—had learned that the hard way when he'd been the only one stupid enough to ask if something was wrong. A small smirk curled at the memory of how quickly the little whelp had shrunk away from the dark fury in his eyes. Four may have been promoted, but he was still the rookie of the group—and that was putting it kindly.

The now-number-Five was fuming at the opposite corner of the room, as far from Four as possible. Her explosion upon learning she'd been demoted, her rank replaced by the _rookie,_ of all Sableye, had been quite entertaining, to say the least—as had how lavender-pale she turned at Dialga's insinuation that she was questioning his judgment.

The leaders of the Sableye group leaned side-by-side in their usual place against the least damaged pillar in the room, One with his eyes casually closed and Two, his mate, ceaselessly surveying the room and its inhabitants. Six…

"Wheh-heh-heh?"

He turned to the grinning intruder of his thoughts. His eyes involuntarily traced the long, horizontal scar on the other's forehead. Six…was Six. He had a habit of showing up when someone simply thought of him, as if he were a mind reader. The near-fatal injury that resulted in that scar had permanently damaged his mind to the point that he could no longer speak comprehensibly, adopting his trademark laugh as an all-purpose speech replacement. Still, Three tolerated his presence, as he always did. Maybe he still felt pity for him. Maybe he still held on to some trace of that old fondness for his younger brother from before the failed ambush. Even he didn't know, nor did he really care. It just was.

"I'm fine," Three said, turning his attention to the staircase. "I just want to get started." His fists clenched so tightly they shook.

The grin was replaced with a solemn expression, strange on the other Pokémon. But if anyone knew how Three was feeling, it would be Six. He was, after all, part of the reason. "Wheh." He nodded, patting Three's shoulder. Three let him.

Three would have left by now to hunt the Nidos down himself, unwise though that may be, but Dialga had specifically ordered them to wait until all of his underlings arrived. The only one absent was the new agent-in-training. It was almost ironic, as this would be the teenage Duskull's first mission, and he had the most to gain from it aside from Three himself. With any of the Sableye, this would have been seen as insubordination, but Dialga's prized prodigy had a talent for being fashionably late and incurring no penalty for it. Especially now, when Dialga needed the kid's brilliant strategic mind to ensure the human and her protectors wouldn't escape.

Movement from the staircase caught his attention, and he looked up from his claws to see the gray ghost himself floating into the room, his skull-masked face cast in shadow and his single red eye gleaming with anticipation. "My apologies for the wait. It seems we have an ambush to plan?"

Three grinned.


End file.
